Polishing disk



May 4, 1943. c. F. scHLEGEL POLISHING DISK VOriginal Filed April l1,1959 Patented May 4, 1943 POLISHING DISK Carl F. Schlegel, Brighton, N.Y., assignor vto The Schlegel Manufacturing Company, Rochester, N. Y., acorporation of New York Original application April v11, 1939, Serial No.267,269. Divided andths application January 9, 1941, Serial No. 373,815

7 Claims.

The present application is a division of my abandoned application,Serial No. 267,269, led April 11, 1939.

This invention relates to polishing pads or disks for polishing avariety of articles, such, for example, as metal sheets, automobilebodies, furniture and the like, one object being to provide a generallyimproved pad or disk of a relatively ishing element having a polishingface formed by the free edges of a multiplicity of textile stripVconvolutions, of a predetermined density and firmness, and which aresecurely anchored at their opposite edges in the body portion of theelement.

A further object is the provision of an article of the characterdescribed having a round and balanced construction adapted for mountingconveniently upon a motor driven mandrel for rotation at relatively highspeeds.

To these and other ends the invention resides .in certain improvementsand combinations of parts, all as will be hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a polishing disk embodying the presentinvention;

lFig. 2 shows the stitching on one side of the textile strip employed informing the disk;

Fig. 3 is a view of the reverse side of the strip shown in Fig. 2; y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view on a radial plane of the disk; Fig.5 is an enlarged sectional view through the ,core or hub of the disk,and

lne wire, as different adaptations to diierent uses may require. Suchfibrous material may include one or more known varieties, such ascotton, linen, wool, flax, jute, hemp, silk or rayon, but, for mostuses, Woolen or cotton fibers are preferred, depending upon the surfaceto be polish-ed and the desired texture of the polishing face, as Wellunderstood in the art. Preferably, also, the fabric is rather looselywoven, substantially throughout its Width, from one lateral edge to theother, and preferably cut on the bias, as shown in the drawing, so thatthe individual strands I I and I2 both extend at an angle to thelongitudinal direction of the strip. By cutting the strip on the bias,the libers or strands at the polishing face I3 are made less likely tounravel to an` excessive extent.

Extending lengthwise of the strip are rows of stitching of which anydesired number may be employed, but, preferably, the stit-ching isplaced in zones I4 and I5 each of which may be made up of two rows ofchain stitching I6. The chain stitching I6 is preferably employed tosecure to and embody in the strip lil a continuous strand -Il of textilematerial, as best shown in Fig. 3. The strand Il is preferably zigzaggedback and forth across a portion of the width of the strip and held inposition by the chain stitching, as

shown. If desired, two or more strands I'I may be employed to increasethe over allthickness of the strip adjacent the Zone of stitching. Itwill be noted that the chain stitching is primarily employed to producea predetermined thickness in the strip adjacent the zone of stitching,rather than to secure adjacent strip thicknesses together. Thus thechain portion of the stitching appears on one side of the strip I 0while the loops thereof extend through the strip. as shown in'Fig. 3, tosecure the ller strands I 'l in position. l

Such zigzag strands may be of any desired thickness, in accordance withthe desired spacing between adjacent convolutions of the strip whenwound on the central core hereafter described. The appearance of thematerial in section is shown in Fig. 4, wherein it will be observed thatthe strands Il and the chain stitching Iii serve to space 'adjacentconvolutions of the strip from each other. By varying the diameter ofthe strands forming the chain stitching IS and the number and diameterof the ller strands Il, the spacing of adjacent convolutions at thepolishing face, as shown at I8, may be varied as desired.

The strip Ill may be wound more or less tightly on a core or hub of anysuitable material, and preferably comprising, for example, at least onedisk I 9 of brous hemp material. Compressed hemp disks have been foundto be satisfactory, as disks of this type are inexpensive, and, whilesemi-rigid, are sufficiently flexible for the desired flexible use ofthe disk and will not cause an abrasion of the work to be polishedshould the disk come in contact with it. The core has a concentricaperture or opening 2b for the reception and attachment of a spindleupon which the polishing disk is adapted to be mounted and by which itis rotated or driven at suitable speed.

The core I9 serves as 'a form around whichthe textile strip is wound andat the same time serves as a hub for operating the polishing disk. In

winding the strip on the core, the core may beV placed on a rotatablespindle, one end of the strip secured to the core, and the core rotatedwhile the strip is held taut, and fed so as to wind the strip spirallyupon the core and upon itself until a series of convolutions are formed,as described and as shown in Fig. 6.

After the strip has been wound at one edge upon the core, as shown, thesurface formed by such adjacent edges of the convolutions is given acoating of a flexible adhesive material, such as a rubber compound and,preferably, the well known liquid latex compound, which, upon curing,remains permanently flexible. The tenacity and permanent flexibility oflatex has been found to be particularly satisfactory for this purpose,and while the convolution edges may be dipped in such latex, it has beenfound that the desired coating may be incorporated by painting the edgeswith the latex. A surplus of the adhesive is preferably employed so thatit tends to flow down between the convolutions, as shown at 22, Fig. 4,and bind the fibers to each other. The rows of stitching, where thestrip is tightly stitched and wound, act as a dam to prevent the latexfrom flowing beyond such stitching. The adhesive serves also, of course,to secure the inner convolutions to the core I9.

After the latex has been applied to the convolution edges, a circularbuckram or canvas backing sheet 2| is applied over them while the latexis still in liquid condition. Preferably, also, the latex is appliedbetween the core and the backing sheet, as shown at 23, Fig. 4. Thespirally wound convolutions are thus intimately bonded to each other andto the core and to the backing sheet, so that the structure is, ineffect,

a single, integral unit.

While the layer of latex may be of any desired thickness, I have foundthat a relatively thin layer is preferable, and that a polishing diskmay be made in this manner so as to be readily ilexible in use. The useof latex, particularly with a flexible core, enables the disk to flex asa whole in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the polishing face,without cracking or other disintegration or detachment of the fibers.

The backing sheet of canvas or buckram is provided primarily to givestrength to the disk in a direction radially of the axis of rotation,or, in other words, against centrifugal force. It will be appreciatedthat the polishing disk shown and described herein is intended to berotated at relatively high velocity. The effect of centrifugal force isto cause the fibers to turn outwardly and the canvas or buckram backingserves to prevent the peripheral fibers from separating from theremainder of the disk.

One of the important features of the invention is the provision of meansfor varying the density at the polishing face of the disk. It will beappreciated that the Various uses to which polishing disks are appliedrequire polishing faces of differing softness and compactness. By themeans of my invention a ready control of the compactness of the mass ofthe fibers at the polishing face is possible.

While I have shown the preferred form of embodiment of my invention anddescribed the preferred method of constructing the polishing disk, it iscontemplated that various changes may be made, particularly in the formand relation of parts, without departing from the spirit of theinvention, or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A polishing disk comprising a strip of woven material cut on the biasand wound upon itself to form a disk having a multiplicity ofconvolutions, a plurality of rows of stitching running longitudinallyalong said strip approximately parallel to each other and to one edge ofsaid strip, to increase the effective thickness of said strip in thevicinity of the stitching so as to space the convolutions formed byother portions of said strip from each other, and a backing of latex inwhich one face of the disk is embedded to thus provide a polishing diskwhich in use is flexible as a whole in a direction perpendicular to thebody.

2. A polishing disk comprising a strip of woven material cut on the biasand wound upon itself to form a disk having a multiplicity ofconvolutions, means including stitching extending lengthwise along saidstrip for spacing adjacent convolutions of the strip from each other,and a backing of latex in which one face of the disk is embedded to thusprovide a polishing disk which in use is flexible as a whole in adirection perpendicular to the body.

3. A round, rotatable, flexible polishing disk comprising a core ofcompressed hemp having a central opening for attachment to a rotarydriving spindle, a strip of textile material woven substantially fromone lateral edge to the other and wound around said core and upon itselfin spiral convolutions to form said disk, and a coating of flexiblelatex adhesive uniting said convolutions to one another at one edgethereof and to said core to form a supporting body which is flexible asa whole, said convolutions being free at the opposite edge thereof toform the textile polishing face.

4. A round, rotatable, flexible polishing disk comprising a flexiblecore having a central opening for attachment to a, rotary drivingspindle, a strip of textile material woven substantially from onelateral edge to the other and wound around said core and upon itself inspiral convolutions to form said disk, a flexible backing sheet, and acoating of flexible latex adhesive uniting said convolutions to oneanother at one edge thereof and to said core and backing sheet to form aunitary structure, said convolutions being free at the opposite edgethereof to form the textile polishing face and said disk being flexibleas a whole and balanced for rotation about the axis of said coreopening.

5. A round, rotatable, flexible polishing disk comprising a flexiblecore having a central opening for attachment to a rotary drivingspindle, a strip of woven textile material cut on the bias and Woundaround said core and upon itself in spiral convolutions to form saiddisk, a flexible backing sheet and a coating of flexible latex adhesiveuniting said convolutions to one another at one edge thereof and to saidcore and backing sheet to form a unitary structure, said convolutionsbeing free at the opposite edge thereof to form the textile polishingface and said disk being flexible as a whole and balanced for rotationaboutJ the axis of said core opening, the diameter of the outermostconvolution of the completed disk being materially greater than theaxial thickness of the completed disk.

6. A exible, rotatable polishing disk comprising a textile strip ofstrands of brous materiai woven substantially throughout the widththereof and cut on the bias, said strip being arranged in convolutionsto form a disk-shaped structure with the convolutions extending spirailywith respect to a central axis and forming together at one edge acircular textile polishing face, the opposite edge of said convolutionshavingr the interstices between the interwoven strands substantiallyfilled with an adhesive material winch is flexible after curing andintermingles with said strands and binds them into a mass which isexible as a whole in a direction normal to the plane of said disk, andller means including a filler strand extending back and forth in zigzagfashion on one face of said textile strip and stitching extendingthrough said strip to secure said strand thereto to produce apredetermined spacing between said convolutions and a predetermineddensity in said polishing face.

7. A exible polishing disk comprising a exible core having a centralopening for attachment to a rotary driving spindle, a strip of textilematerial woven from edge to edge and wound around said core and uponitself to form a disk-shaped structure with said windings extendingspirally about the axis of said opening and together forming at one edgea circular polishing face, the opposite edge only of said windings beingimpregnated with a flexible rubber composition which enters theinterstices and secures the weft and warp strands together and themarginal portions of successive windings adhesively to one another, saidrubber composition extending as a exible connective binder bodythroughout the successive windings of the strip on the side of said diskopposite said polishing face.

CARL F. SCHLEGEL.

